Transformation of an ideal Victorian woman to a demonic vampire.
In Dracula, Lucy Westenra was portrayed as an ideal Victorian woman. She was a good daughter, lovely fiance, and a good friend of many. She used to be characterized as someone who is feminine and nice to others; she represented the perfect Victorian woman. However, her death marks her transformation. After her death, or transformation, Lucy becomes a demonic vampire who sucks blood from innocent children. She is described as the "Un-Dead" (Stoker 179). This shows that she has become a same creature as the three vampire woman introduced in chapter 3. Lucy has a "voluptuous smile" (Stoker 188) like the three women. They also have "voluptuousness which was both thrilling and repulsive," (Stoker 42). Lucy sucks blood from children, just like the three women who suck the blood from a "half-smothered child." (Stoker 44). Furthermore, Victorian women are not supposed to lure men first. However, Lucy says, "Come to me, Arthur. Leave these others and come to me. My arms are hungry for you. Come, and we can rest together." (Stoker 188). Lucy lures Arthur, which is something that a Victorian woman should not do. Victorian women must not flirt with men first; men should always be attracted first and ask openly. Lucy's transformation brings shock to many people. When John Seward, who once love Lucy, sees her, he thinks "the remnant of my love passed into hate an loathing; had she then to be killed." (Stoker 188). Lucy Westenra, a lovable woman who was dearly loved by three men became the symbol of demon, lust, and hatred.
CRITICAL PASSAGE
'You are a clever man, friend John; you reason well, and your wit is bold; but you are too prejudiced. You do not let your eyes see nor your ears hear and that which is outside your daily life is not of account to you. Do you not think that there are things which you cannot understand, and yet which are; that some people see things that others cannot? But there are things old and new which must not be contemplate by men's eyes, because they know - or think they know - some things which other men have told them. Ah, it is the fault of our science that it wants to explain all; and if it explain not, then it says there is nothing to explain ... ' (Stoker 170)
This passage is very significant, because it clearly conveys the theme, "Science cannot explain everything." There is a clear conflict between superstition and science in Dracula. This passage tells us that science does not always explain everything that happens in the world, and superstition sometime should come into place in order to understand everything. It is ironic that Van Helsing, who is a metaphysician, says this. He should believe in science, but he tells Seward that he should sometimes believe in superstition. Later on in the text, it is proven that this is true. Seward, who at first didn't believe in this, sees that Lucy really became a vampire, and we learn that science always can't explain everything.
LITERARY DEVICES
Simile "The beautiful colour became livid, the eyes seemed to throw out sparks of hell-fire, the brows were wrinkled as though the folds of the flesh were the coils of Medusa's snakes..." (Stoker 188)
Stoker uses simile to compare Lucy and Medusa to compare their transformation and show Lucy's fierceness and hideous face. Medusa is a creature introduced in Greek mythology. She was once a pretty woman, turned into an ugly Gorgon due to goddess Athena's jealousy. Her hair became serpents, and people turned into stones when they see her face. Lucy was a beautiful young woman before her transformation. However, after her transformation, she turns into a hideous demon when she sees the crucifix held out by Van Helsing. It says "If ever a face meant death - if looks could kill - we saw it at that moment." (Stoker 188). Lucy, like Medusa, also gets killed.
Irony "...Lucy's eyes unclean and full of hell-fire, instead of pure, gentle orbs we knew, At that moment the remnant of my love passed into hate and loathing;" (Stoker 188)
The metamorphosis of Lucy from a "perfect woman" to a "demonic creature" shows irony. No one could have thought that Lucy, a gentle woman who symbolizes an ideal woman, would turn into a demonic vampire. Also, John Seward's reaction shows irony. He was one of the people who loved Lucy dearly. However, in the quote, he shows hatred towards Lucy's transformed version. This one quote shows the irony by showing the transformation of a pure woman into a luring demon and by showing changed attitude of Seward, who once deeply loved Lucy.
Reflection
This activity really helped me understand many things about Dracula that I didn't even think about before when I only focused on the text and plot. By doing analysis, I got to think about many themes of Dracula and got to really understand the two major themes that our group chose: "Transformation of an ideal Victorian woman to a demonic vampire," and "Science cannot be the explanation for everything." Also, I found out how great Bram Stoker is as a writer. Our group wrote about six literary devices. However, I could see many other literary devices as I looked through the book. After doing the discussion activity, I could not only more thoroughly understand the two themes our group chose, but hear and compare many different point of views of the characters. I was, for the most part, satisfied with our discussion. However, at first, people didn't participate a lot and only people who participate participated. Later on, we can maybe count the time people talk and make people who don't talk, talk more.
THEME
Transformation of an ideal Victorian woman to a demonic vampire.In Dracula, Lucy Westenra was portrayed as an ideal Victorian woman. She was a good daughter, lovely fiance, and a good friend of many. She used to be characterized as someone who is feminine and nice to others; she represented the perfect Victorian woman. However, her death marks her transformation. After her death, or transformation, Lucy becomes a demonic vampire who sucks blood from innocent children. She is described as the "Un-Dead" (Stoker 179). This shows that she has become a same creature as the three vampire woman introduced in chapter 3. Lucy has a "voluptuous smile" (Stoker 188) like the three women. They also have "voluptuousness which was both thrilling and repulsive," (Stoker 42). Lucy sucks blood from children, just like the three women who suck the blood from a "half-smothered child." (Stoker 44). Furthermore, Victorian women are not supposed to lure men first. However, Lucy says, "Come to me, Arthur. Leave these others and come to me. My arms are hungry for you. Come, and we can rest together." (Stoker 188). Lucy lures Arthur, which is something that a Victorian woman should not do. Victorian women must not flirt with men first; men should always be attracted first and ask openly. Lucy's transformation brings shock to many people. When John Seward, who once love Lucy, sees her, he thinks "the remnant of my love passed into hate an loathing; had she then to be killed." (Stoker 188). Lucy Westenra, a lovable woman who was dearly loved by three men became the symbol of demon, lust, and hatred.
CRITICAL PASSAGE
'You are a clever man, friend John; you reason well, and your wit is bold; but you are too prejudiced. You do not let your eyes see nor your ears hear and that which is outside your daily life is not of account to you. Do you not think that there are things which you cannot understand, and yet which are; that some people see things that others cannot? But there are things old and new which must not be contemplate by men's eyes, because they know - or think they know - some things which other men have told them. Ah, it is the fault of our science that it wants to explain all; and if it explain not, then it says there is nothing to explain ... ' (Stoker 170)
This passage is very significant, because it clearly conveys the theme, "Science cannot explain everything." There is a clear conflict between superstition and science in Dracula. This passage tells us that science does not always explain everything that happens in the world, and superstition sometime should come into place in order to understand everything. It is ironic that Van Helsing, who is a metaphysician, says this. He should believe in science, but he tells Seward that he should sometimes believe in superstition. Later on in the text, it is proven that this is true. Seward, who at first didn't believe in this, sees that Lucy really became a vampire, and we learn that science always can't explain everything.
LITERARY DEVICES
"The beautiful colour became livid, the eyes seemed to throw out sparks of hell-fire, the brows were wrinkled as though the folds of the flesh were the coils of Medusa's snakes..." (Stoker 188)
Stoker uses simile to compare Lucy and Medusa to compare their transformation and show Lucy's fierceness and hideous face. Medusa is a creature introduced in Greek mythology. She was once a pretty woman, turned into an ugly Gorgon due to goddess Athena's jealousy. Her hair became serpents, and people turned into stones when they see her face. Lucy was a beautiful young woman before her transformation. However, after her transformation, she turns into a hideous demon when she sees the crucifix held out by Van Helsing. It says "If ever a face meant death - if looks could kill - we saw it at that moment." (Stoker 188). Lucy, like Medusa, also gets killed.
"...Lucy's eyes unclean and full of hell-fire, instead of pure, gentle orbs we knew, At that moment the remnant of my love passed into hate and loathing;" (Stoker 188)
The metamorphosis of Lucy from a "perfect woman" to a "demonic creature" shows irony. No one could have thought that Lucy, a gentle woman who symbolizes an ideal woman, would turn into a demonic vampire. Also, John Seward's reaction shows irony. He was one of the people who loved Lucy dearly. However, in the quote, he shows hatred towards Lucy's transformed version. This one quote shows the irony by showing the transformation of a pure woman into a luring demon and by showing changed attitude of Seward, who once deeply loved Lucy.
Reflection
This activity really helped me understand many things about Dracula that I didn't even think about before when I only focused on the text and plot. By doing analysis, I got to think about many themes of Dracula and got to really understand the two major themes that our group chose: "Transformation of an ideal Victorian woman to a demonic vampire," and "Science cannot be the explanation for everything." Also, I found out how great Bram Stoker is as a writer. Our group wrote about six literary devices. However, I could see many other literary devices as I looked through the book. After doing the discussion activity, I could not only more thoroughly understand the two themes our group chose, but hear and compare many different point of views of the characters. I was, for the most part, satisfied with our discussion. However, at first, people didn't participate a lot and only people who participate participated. Later on, we can maybe count the time people talk and make people who don't talk, talk more.